Sanitary installations for a home or a building construction is a generic term for the fresh water supply and drainage of spill water and sewage. The sanitary installations start where the tapping of the supply line from the water distribution network is performed, and comprises further water tubes and distribution of hot and cold water, sanitary components and equipment like water heaters, armature, valves, and finally, basins, toilets, drains and drain pipes for draining the waste water.
The common term “sanitary components and equipment” comprises also technical installations connected to water like; laundry and dish washer machines, refrigerators with ice makers and water dispensers, hot drink dispensers, cabinet mounted heaters and water filters, etc.
Water damages usually originates from leaks in sanitary installations because of corrosion, frost, mechanical strain, pressure surges i.e. water-hammer surges, seal wear or human errors. The most wide spread reason for damages of technical sanitary installations is cracked water- and drain tubes and worn or defect parts like gaskets and fittings inside the installations.
In the SINTEF-report 3D098001 dated 25 Feb. 2011 with the title “Sanitaerinstallasjoner og vannskadesikkerhet—Bruk av lekkasjestoppere” (Sanitary installations and water damage safety—Use of leak stops), it is emphasized that on average 200 water damages are registered daily in Norway, a cost for the society of almost three thousand million Norwegian kroners in 2009. This number is increasing.
The Regulation on requirements for construction works and products for construction (TEK 10) from Statens bygningstekniske etat (2010) requires use of leak stops in all rooms with water installations, but without drains and waterproof floor covering. Such leak stops consist of a moisture sensor connected to a solenoid valve of the supply line to shut of water supply automatically when moisture is detected.
Such leak stops will then become a vulnerable component of the system. They need regular maintenance and testing to ensure proper operation. In addition they require electric power to operate. The sensors are often equipped with batteries that have to be changed, often in locations difficult to access.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,416,089 B1 describes a tray for collecting leaking fluid, such as water, and more specifically an enclosure for collecting liquid comprising an alarm to indicate the presence of a moisture leak.
EP0108367 A2 and U.S. 2011187540 A1 disclose a safety device for preventing water leakage where a solenoid valve is actuated by a moisture sensor.
Line rupture valves are a different type of leakage safety device arranged for closing off the water flow when it increases above a certain value. However, such valves does not actuate on smaller leaks.
Trays for placing underneath technical installations to make it easier to detect smaller leaks exist. However, such trays will not be of much help when there is a major leak.